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Man shot, killed by Gorham officer had long criminal history, records show

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Updated: 6:30 PM EDT Jun 3, 2019

Man shot, killed by Gorham officer had long criminal history, records show

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Updated: 6:30 PM EDT Jun 3, 2019

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WE'RE LEARNING NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THE MA WHO WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY GORHAM POLICE IN A SHOPPING PLAZA FRIDAY NIGHT. POLICE SAY 32- YEAR-OLD KYLE NEEDHAM RAMMED HIS TRUCK INTO A POLICE CRUISER...AND THAT AN OFFICER'S LIFE WAS IN DANGER. WMTW NEWS8'S TALIA CLARKE IS COVERING THIS DEVELOPING STORY. TALIA? GOOD EVENING STEVE AND MEGHAN... WE HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KYLE NEEDHAM'S BROTHER...WHO IS OUTRAGED OVER FRIDAY'S DEADLY POLICE SHOOTING... KYLE NEEDHAM WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY POLICE RIGHT HERE IN THIS GORHAM PLAZA... HE HAD A CRIMINAL HISTORY DATING BACK TO 2006... AND WARRANTS OUT FOR HIS ARREST... FRIDAY AFTERNOON... HE ALLEGEDLY RAMMED HIS TRUCK INTO A POLICE CRUISER... A GORHAM OFFICER... SHOT AND KILLED HIM... FEARING HIS TRUCK WOULD RUN THEM OVER. NOW - NEEDHAM'S BROTHER IS SPEAKING OUT... SAYING THESE ACCUSATIONS ARE FALSE... AND NEEDHAM WAS NOT A VIOLENT MAN. "I WANT TO SEE THE CAMERAS, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE VIDEOS OF THE WHOLE INCIDENT. TO SEE .. YOU KNOW... I WANT TO SEE THE VEHICLE GOING TOWARD THE POLICE OFFICER." THE OFFICER WHO SHOT NEEDHAM HAS BEEN PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE... THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE HAS TAK

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Man shot, killed by Gorham officer had long criminal history, records show

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Updated: 6:30 PM EDT Jun 3, 2019

A criminal background check shows the man shot and killed by a police officer in Gorham on Friday had a criminal history dating back more than a decade.The Maine Attorney General's Office said Kyle Needham, of Standish, was wanted on warrants when he was confronted by police at the Village Mall plaza in Gorham.Investigators said Needham tried to escape in a truck, rammed a police cruiser and was shot when it looked as if another officer was in danger of being run over by the truck.Criminal records show Needham's criminal history dates back to 2006.Most convictions are for property and felony drug crimes, including burglary, theft and possession. Needham was convicted in connection with a police chase in 2017 that resulted in a prison sentence of more than a year.His criminal history included no convictions for violent crimes against people.Needham's brother, Kevin Pomelow, told WMTW News 8 on Monday that he wished police had used an alternative to shooting his brother. Pomelow said his brother did no want to go back to prison and tried to escape when officers confronted him."I can understand that he wanted to get away, but it was an unjustified shooting and killing my brother, I think it was a little overboard, way overboard, and I think something should be done about it," Pomelow said.Pomelow said his brother, who had a daughter, was loving father, and the system failed him.The officer who shot Needham, Dean Hannon, of the Gorham Police Department, is on administrative leave, which is standard procedure for officer-involved shootings.

GORHAM, Maine —

A criminal background check shows the man shot and killed by a police officer in Gorham on Friday had a criminal history dating back more than a decade.

The Maine Attorney General's Office said Kyle Needham, of Standish, was wanted on warrants when he was confronted by police at the Village Mall plaza in Gorham.

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Investigators said Needham tried to escape in a truck, rammed a police cruiser and was shot when it looked as if another officer was in danger of being run over by the truck.

Criminal records show Needham's criminal history dates back to 2006.

Most convictions are for property and felony drug crimes, including burglary, theft and possession.

Needham was convicted in connection with a police chase in 2017 that resulted in a prison sentence of more than a year.

His criminal history included no convictions for violent crimes against people.

Needham's brother, Kevin Pomelow, told WMTW News 8 on Monday that he wished police had used an alternative to shooting his brother.

Pomelow said his brother did no want to go back to prison and tried to escape when officers confronted him.

"I can understand that he wanted to get away, but it was an unjustified shooting and killing my brother, I think it was a little overboard, way overboard, and I think something should be done about it," Pomelow said.

Pomelow said his brother, who had a daughter, was loving father, and the system failed him.

The officer who shot Needham, Dean Hannon, of the Gorham Police Department, is on administrative leave, which is standard procedure for officer-involved shootings.